‘Dirty politics’ on Everest leads to rope-cutting allegations and government investigation » Explorersweb

Nirmal Purja made bold claims on Sunday, posting on Instagram that ropes on Everest had been cut just below the summit, just as he was about to lead a team there. But a Pioneer Expedition team that reached the summit today reported to ExplorersWeb and others that the ropes were still there. Nepal’s tourism ministry will investigate the case.

The video

In an Instagram video posted on Sunday, May 26, the leader of Elite Exped spoke to the camera from above Camp 2 on Everest.

“They (without saying who) cut the rope just below the South Summit, above the balcony. Everyone knew that my team was aiming for the summit,” he said.

Purja blamed the mountain for the “dirty politics” and said he had kept quiet to protect the industry but had become so fed up that he decided to speak out.

“I’ve been living with disgusting and dirty politics and tactics since 2019 simply because I turned the industry on its head and was extremely successful,” he said in the video. “People are always trying to bring me down.”

His post is embedded below:

In a second video in the same post, Purja recorded a conversation in Nepali between someone named Mingmar and Babu Sherpa at base camp. In the video’s subtitles, Mingmar confirms: “The ropes seem to have been cut and thrown to the other side (of the mountain).”

A Peak Promotion team was in the summit area of ​​Everest conducting a cleanup operation, outfitter and guide Mingma G told ExplorersWeb. “They are conducting cleanup programs and they have brought down three or four bodies this year, and they went up to get another one,” he said.

During this mission, the team reported the allegedly cut ropes to their leader Babu Sherpa. ExplorersWeb has asked Babu Sherpa for confirmation and we are awaiting his response.

The reaction

The video went viral in the climbing community and many comments supported Purja. However, one Sherpa pointed out some problems.

“No one would have … intentionally cut a fixed line in the mountains,” wrote Nga Tenjin Sherpa of The Summit Force. “If someone did, the government would be prepared to impose severe penalties, (but) Nims cannot accuse others without evidence. If his allegations are not true, this could cause him significant problems.”

The mountain’s massive summit surge peaked in the middle of last week. Since then, visitor numbers have dropped. But on Saturday, a handful of climbers reached the summit of Everest. Among them was Purnima Shrestha of Nepal, equipped by 8K Expeditions. It was her third summit this season, a record for women. She reported no problems with the ropes.

Purnima Shrestha on the summit of Everest on Saturday, May 25. Photo: Everest Today

Participants of Monday’s summit report good progress

Today, a team from the Pioneer Expedition also reached the summits of Lhotse and Everest. Indian climber Satyadeep Gupta climbed Everest shortly after midnight today and then Lhotse at 12 noon local time. Gupta was assisted by Pastemba Sherpa and Nima Ungdi Sherpa.

It was not just a rare one-two, but a double victory, as Gupta had already summited both Everest and Lhotse last week. He first reached the summit of Everest at 4:25 a.m. on May 21 and Lhotse at 7:00 a.m. on May 22. This second time, he aimed to reach both summits in under eight hours.

We asked Pioneer today about the condition of the ropes and they confirmed that the ropes are attached and in place.

Purja’s video prompted the leaders of the Pioneer expedition to advise the summit team to be extra cautious.

“We warned my members and Sherpas to be careful (about possible problems with the ropes) and that caused them to slow down,” spokesman Nivesh Karki told ExplorersWeb.

Karki confirmed that neither the guides nor the climbers had any problems with the ropes. Gupta eventually made it to both summits in 11 hours and 15 minutes, missing his eight-hour target.

We’ve asked Elite Expedition for more details on the ropes and their thoughts on what might have happened. They said an Elite Expedition team led by Purja is currently on their way to the summit. They will provide a full statement once the team is back down.

Nepal’s Transport Ministry launches an investigation

Expedition leaders and operators speak out on the subject, but mostly in confidence. There is widespread concern that Purja’s comment could damage the expedition industry.

The issue quickly reached Nepal’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Today, the Ministry of Tourism issued a press release announcing a legal investigation against Nirmal Purja “for spreading misinformation to gain popularity.”

The press release also confirms the facts mentioned in this story.

Press release published today by the Nepalese Ministry of Tourism.